Technological Characterization and Product Development Potential of Clays from the Chicamocha Canyon Basin Within the UNESCO Geopark Context

This study evaluates the technological potential of raw clays from the Chicamocha Canyon basin (Santander, Colombia), a region shaped by prolonged geological erosion. The research focuses on the Barichara sector, where clay deposits are stratigraphically associated with the Cretaceous Simití Formation. Three local clay varieties were investigated: Arcilla Fina (AF), Arcilla Cascajo (CA), and Arcilla Arenosa (TA). Characterization included the determination of physical-mechanical properties, particle size distribution via wet sieving and hydrometer sedimentation, Atterberg consistency limits, and chemical-mineralogical analyses using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Test specimens were shaped and sintered at 1080 °C. The results indicate that all samples share a common mineralogical assemblage dominated by kaolinite, quartz, and muscovite, albeit with distinct quantitative proportions. Notably, the CA clay exhibited the highest kaolinite content, high plasticity, and a highly vitrified microstructure upon firing, achieving the highest compressive strength (17.31 MPa). Based on these technological performance metrics, CA clay is suitable for structural brick manufacturing and slip casting; AF clay is optimized for industrial stiff-extrusion processes; and TA clay is well-suited for earthen architecture applications. Finally, the formulation of tailored clay blends is proposed for future studies to optimize these functional properties.